Starting over
by bender258
Summary: Takes place at the end of Sacrifice. Jacen is about to deal the finishing blow to Mara when Anakin comes and stops his grandson from following the same Sith destiny as him. Now the Council must try to turn once one of their best students away from the dark path. Despite the loss of Jacen Lumiya still has a few tricks up her sleeve.
1. Chapter 1

**So I just finished reading Sacrifice in the Legacy of the Force series and I couldn't help but wonder: What would've happened if Anakin had been there to stop Jacen from killing Mara? Well that is where this story came from. Please review and tell me what you think. Hopefully you enjoy!**

**Mara**

Mara could almost taste it. Jacen was struggling beneath her, unable to draw upon his superior skills and end her life. She could end it all here and now, no more sith threat to the galaxy. She yanked her head back allowing Jacens hand to come away with only a few hairs. The blood on his chest was eerily satisfying to Mara as was the blood curdling scream that had escaped his lips. She had wounded him, the man who thought he was infallible. Raising her shoto above her head she prepared to make the final blow. Then something strange happened, the man below her was no longer Jacen but it was her sons face, Ben.

She hesitated a second and Jacen acted. He tried stabbing her in the leg with something but his arm looked like it was caught by something. Mara felt herself lifted off Jacen and set down a few feet away. Now that she got a better look in Jacens hand was what looked to be a dart, most likely filled with poison. Jacens face was contorted in rage trying to move his arm, but still unable too. His eyes sparkled with fear, whoever was doing this must've been quite powerful. Her own heart began to beat faster in anticipation for what was coming. She could sense quite a powerful presence in the Force close by and it seemed angry.

Mara watched as a tall man walked out of the shadows of the cave. He was easily taller than her and Jacen not to mention she could detect the muscle hidden under his robes. He strode before Jacen with the confidence she had only ever seen a few men walk with. Squatting down on the balls of his feet he began to speak to Jacen.

"You want to be a Sith Lord?" His young strong voice filled the cave.

He turned back to look at Mara and she was met by amazing blue eyes, much like Lukes. There was something she was missing but her mind couldn't place it at the moment. Looking past the man she noticed Jacen had his eyes widened in surprise; he obviously recognized him.

"Are you alrgiht Mara?" He asked, looking genuinely concerned.

She wondered how he knew her name, "Nothing I can't handle."

He nodded and turned back to Jacen, "Good, then I can focus all my attention on him."

Again squatting in front of Jacen he began to speak, "How could you claim to want to be a Sith when you so easily let yourself be outsmarted?"

"You're one to talk, you were lucky to live after your failure." Jacen shouted with a slight shake to his voice.

The man simply snorted, "I did lose, but I wasn't outsmarted by someone whom I outclassed in every way. "

Jacen glared at him, his arm still not moving, "I look to your fall for guidance, you led me to where I am!"

"This is my fault! A lot has been my fault over the years but dont let your ignorance blind you into thinking your fall is my doing! I've suffered for my mistakes now you need to own up to yours." The man shouted at him.

He got up and paced away, holding the bridge of his nose. Something about this man seemed so similar yet Mara couldn't say where she may have met him before. Then as he turned towards her and looked into her eyes she gasped. The man had Luke's eyes, they shone the same way when he was frustrated. A small idea began to form in Maras head but she didn't dare bring it to the mans attention, he might just kill them both.

Coming to Jacen he bent down and took the dart clenched in his hand, "Using cheap tools to kill your enemies, some dark force user you would've been." He said chuckling slightly.

"You use whatever tools are at you disposal."

The man shook his head, "No, to be a Sith Lord you use the Force. You rely on your strength with a blade and the Force. We don't use these simple mechanisms of the lower organisms, we rule supreme."

"Perhaps that's why you fel-" Jacen started but was cut off when the man grabbed him around the throat with his hand and pulled him off his back. The man now held Jacen off the ground with only his right hand. The look he was giving Jacen made Maras skin crawl.

"You're a fool boy, do you think joining the dark side will make everything better? What does it leave you? Nothing but pain and suffering."

Jacen raised his hand and his lightsaber flew towards it. Without even moving his eyes off Jacen the man intercepted his blade with his left hand. He threw Jacen into the side of the cave.

"Maybe you are stupid enough to pursue the dark side." He turned on Jacens green blade and swung.

Mara closed her eyes, not wanting to see her nephews severed head fall to the ground. But instead of the heavy sound of a head falling she heard a soft thud next to her. Opening her eyes she saw the belt that Jacen had been wearing was cut in half on the ground, she could already tell it held all the extra toys he had wanted to use on her.

Jacen was now visibly shaking on the wall yet he still held the glare with the man. Mara had to give him credit for at least trying to act tough, though where it would get him with the man before him was beyond her.

"Mara, whose child is this? He looks slightly familiar..." The man asked not looking away from Jacen.

"Well he should, his mother led the Rebel Alliance along with her father. Not to mention he is now chief of state for the Galactic Alliance."

"What are their names," He said slowly putting more force on every word.

"Leia and Han Solo."

There seemed to be a change in the man as he backed up slightly and looked less sure of himself. Mara knew those names would have an effect on this man, it was his daughter after all. Anakin ran his hand through his hair all the while Jacens lightsaber was still trained on said man.

"I can't kill my own grandson, Leia already hates me enough. No matter the amount of evil this kid has done, as soon as she finds out I ended his life it will all be my fault."

"Ha, this is why you couldn't be a Sith Lord! You were too weak and allowed yourself to be controlled by your emot-" Jacen started but then his hands leapt to his throat, trying to pry away imaginary hands.

"What can we do Mara?"

Mara was slightly taken aback, the galaxies most feared villain was asking her for help. She studied him and realized that he wasn't Vader anymore, he may carry himself the same way but he was no longer that cold blooded killer. Luke was right, Vader really had given up the dark side and became Anakin again. Even though only a minute before he had been ready to kill Jacen, Mara was convinced Anakin was in control and had good intentions.

"I could always kill him," Mara offered, getting to her feet.

Anakin shook his head, "No, that wont help either. I think taking him back to Corusant as a prisoner and letting the Council deal with him would be a good idea. You have any restraining devices on you?"

"Yeah, this," Mara said approaching Jacen and throwing him a right hook that left him limply falling to the floor.

Anakin smiled, "That works too."

As Anakin bent down to pick Jacen up a frown crossed his face, "I haven't felt that presence since..."

**Luke**

Luke felt Jainas Force signature flying behind him as he looked to track down his wife. Yet there was something bothering him, a new presence he hadn't felt since he had last seen Vader. Somehow this Force presence felt almost as strong as his and that left him a little worried, if anyone was that strong, especially someone like Vader then the galaxy may be in trouble. More troubling yet was the fact that he sensed Mara near that new 'threat'. He sensed she wasn't in much danger but still he was on edge.

Through the Force Luke felt Jaina spike with fear. Then he sensed it too, another powerful Force signature was right behind them. This one seemed the most familiar though and he could sense the good coming off the new presence. He opened his com channel and tried to reach the new unknown pilot.

"Unidentified fighter identify yourself, I'm Grand Master Luke Skywalker." He didn't know why he entrusted all that information to this new unknown but the Force had told him it was alright.

"Well, I can't say as though I'm surprised Luke. I saw that one coming," The voice of Obi-Wan Kenobi filled his headset.

Lukes mind was reeling, Ben was here, in the flesh. He had watched him die at the hands of his father all those years ago back on the first Death Star. This had to be some kind of ploy to distract him by Lumiya yet he could sense nothing weird about Bens Force signature that would suggest otherwise. Luke opened his com line to Jainas.

"Jaina, can you sense this man for me, do you feel any malevolence in him?"

After a few tense moments Jaina replied, "No Uncle Luke, he seems as good as they come. Can we trust him?"

"For now, but lets find Mara first and then worry about him."

"Yeah sounds good. Can you sense the other presence too, the one with Mara."

"I can, lets hope she ain't in any trouble."

Reopening the line to 'Bens' fighter Luke caught the last of what he had been saying, "... it cant be. What is going on here?"

Luke knit his eyebrows, "What is it Ben?"

"Oh, nothing just an old man going crazy."

Luke could sense he was lying but decided it could wait till after Mara was in his arms safe and sound. Whatever had Ben on edge would probably have Jaina and him worried as well.

"Well Ben, we need you to follow us for now. I'm going to get my wife back and if you are who you say you are then you'll come back with us."

Ben chuckled, "It is wise of you not to trust me Luke, you really have grown since I last saw you."

The remainder of the flight left Luke searching the Force for an answer as to why his long dead mentor was suddenly back from the dead. He hoped that Ben really was alive, he had missed him more than he cared to admit. Luke could sense the unease in Jaina at having this man she never met follow them but she trusted Lukes judgement and went along with it. As they landed on the rock that Maras Force presence was the strongest Luke sensed something was wrong. Quickly putting on the proper breathing apparatus he climbed out of his fighter.

Standing ahead of him was Mara and Ben, Lukes son, standing side by side. Ben had his lightsaber leveled at a younger man who looked to be in the middle of pleading his case to Ben. Luke broke into a run and grabbed Mara from behind, all the worries he had felt at her disappearance evaporating as he held her in his arms again. Jaina took jogged over and placed her hands on Lukes and Maras shoulders, smiling happily.

Luke could sense shock and unease in his old mentor Obi-Wan. He seemed to be stuck staring at the man Ben had his lightsaber leveled at. On a closer inspection of the man Lukes own chest began to clench and he found it hard to breathe. His father, Anakin, was standing before them young and in the flesh.

"Well Master, are you going to stand there all day or are you going to say hi to your apprentice?" Lukes father said, in a young strong voice, not the old unsteady one he had heard on the second Death Star.

Looking back Luke was shocked again to find that the man behind him was what looked to be a younger version of his Obi-Wan. He still had the beard and the combed over hair, (of course it wasn't as messy now) all with a light dirty blonde look to it. He watched as his face broke into a grin and jogged past Ben and enveloped Anakin in a hug. The grin on Anakins face shocked Luke, he had never seen him that happy; of course he had never seen his father outside of the suit for this long. They broke apart from the hug and they both still wore those huge grins on their face. When Obi-Wan hit something with his shoe he looked down and the smile vanished.

"Anakin, what have you done this time?" He asked in a tone that sounded like he had used on Anakin before.

"It wasn't me Master, I swear."

"You always say that,"

**Well I hope you enjoyed it! This idea just came to me so I decided to write it out. There will be more shortly so I will see you then. Please review and tell me what you thought of this. As always thanks for reading!  
**


	2. Chapter 2

**Mara**

Seeing the former bane of the galaxy smiling and in good spirits shook Mara to her core. She had always assumed he was born evil, incapable of love. Once she had found out the man had children again she jumped to the conclusion that it had to be some random woman. However now seeing him smiling with his former master made her reconsider. She sensed a great sadness about him, but that had always been there, for reasons she never learned. Under all that sadness though was the kind caring man he must have once been. Standing with his master she could see that side of him reammerging.

The playful banter they exchanged when Obi-Wan had stepped on Jacens unconscious body showed further the man he was before. Everyone else around them seemed to finally notice the body as well. She could feel Luke tense up next to her and Jainas breath caught in her throat.

"Father I found him carrying Jacen out and he was holding mom captive." Ben said still with his blade pointed at his grandfather.

"Look kid I've told you, you're mom wasn't captive. I saved her life." Anakin explained in a calm tone.

Ben looked to Luke, "He's lying, I can sense it."

Luke studied his father closely, almost with disbelief in his eye, "Are you sure Ben, or is that what you want to sense?"

"It... it has to be," Ben stuttered. "I can't believe what he's telling me."

Obi-Wan bent down and checked Jacens pulse, "He's still alive, if that means anything."

Mara studied Obi-Wan closely, he appeared to be in his thirties. He didn't appear to be too much but the man who could defeat Darth Vader in the body Anakin now walked around in, couldn't be taken lightly. His Force presence was as strong if not stronger than every member of the council. Perhaps this man could prove to be a threatening enemy if that ever arose. But from the stories Luke had told Mara she didn't need to worry about that.

"Tell me what happened," Luke asked, looking directly at his father.

"When I arrived in the cave Mara was about ready to impale this young man. However, he played on her attachment to her son and he momentarily forced her to see Ben under her. She hesitated and was about to stab her with this." Anakin flicked the dart to Luke. It flew through the air, obviously enforced by the Force. Luke slowed it down before it got to him and allowed it to hover in front of him as he studied it. "It's a poison dart,within seconds Mara would have been paralyzed by the poison and not to long after she would be dead."

Mara gulped, Anakin had already explained this to her when they were waiting for her son to arrive. Hearing it out loud though, announced to her whole family, made it all the more real and scary. No matter how much she hated Darth Vader, she was glad that he had showed up saved. She didn't want to think how Luke or Ben would've gotten on without her.

"So I stopped him from killing Mara and and before I killed him myself I found out who his parents were. Upon learning that Leia had produced him I found it would've been in our best interest to take him to the Council. Perhaps they could fix his mind."

"I knew it, Jacens gone off the deep end." Jaina growled, looking down in disappointment.

Luke studied his father, perhaps trying to find any lies in his speech. Mara grabbed his hand and nodded, sending to him through the Force that he was telling the truth. Luke relaxed a little and found himself smiling. He was probably glad his father had come back as a good guy, maybe now they could bond together.

"Very well, we will take you to the Council. There we will discuss things further." Luke announced, which caused Anakin and Obi-Wan to grin.

"I think Leia needs to be there for this." Anakin spoke up.

"I'll contact her," Jaina said with a tear choked voice.

Luke pulled Mara aside as everyone began to break apart and head for their ships. Luke looked on her with concern and Mara could sense the distress and relief running through him.

"I"d thought I lost you Mara, what were you thinking?"

"Ben had told me of Jacen talking to Lumiya and I had to put a stop to this. So I followed Jacen and he and I got into a fight in this tunnel. If your father hadn't of been there when he was, I wouldn't be here Luke."

Luke wrapped her in his arms, "It's weird seeing him this young. The power coming off from his is unreal."

"I know, you should've seen how he handled Jacen in there. If he had any remains of Vader in him he would've killed us both with ease."

"Well I did tell you he had done away with that side of himself when he chose me over the Emperor."

"Then I've never been happier to be wrong in my life," Mara leaned in and pecked her husband on the lips. "See you at home farmboy."

Mara walked back to her ship, the Jades Shadow. She could sense Anakin and Jacen both inside and she wondered how she got so lucky as to fly those two home. Before she got in Mara noticed Jaina still hanging around outside her fighter.

"It'll get better kiddo," Mara said wrapping her in a warm embrace. "The council will do everything it can."

"I should've been with you Aunt Mara. Why did you go without me?"

"It needed to be done, the quicker the better. If I would've told anyone you guys would have tried to stop me and I would've lost him."

"You were almost killed Mara! Do you think I would've forgave myself if I found out my twin brother killed our Aunt? If that guy hadn't shown up when he did you would be dead." Jaina embraced Mara tighter and let go a moment later. "I'll see you on Corucant."

Mara watched her troubled niece walk away and she let herself begin to question her motives. What had she been thinking in going alone? She may have stuck up for Jacen longer than anyone but it wasn't necessarily her problem to clean up. She flinched when a hand was placed on her shoulder.

"You had the right intentions Mara, don't start to doubt yourself. That will only lead to more problems." Anakin said from the ramp of the ship.

Offering him a small smile she walked to the front of the ship. Along the way she noticed Jacen was strapped into one of the chairs in the back, with nothing around him he could use if he became conscious. Mara was surprised to see the ship was already up and running and only waiting for her to take off.

Mara looked over at Anakin in the copilots seat, her eyebrows raised, "I didn't know you were good with ships."

Anakin offered a genuine smile, "Well before I became Darth Vader, I was the best pilot in the Jedi Order. Where do you think Luke got it from?"

Mara cracked a grin, "I just put it all down to luck, you Skywalkers seem to bleed luck."

"Perhaps," Anakin said still smiling. "C'mon I can't wait to see what you guys did with Corucant."

The flight home saw Mara bonding with her father in law. A man she had only known previously as Darth Vader, a man whom she hated and wanted to usurp and become the Emperors apprentice. She had sensed he held a dislike for her too, but she was a tool at his disposal that could've been replaced easily. Much like Lumiya she thought angrily.

The playful side of Anakin was bleeding through throughout the eighteen hour flight. He was quick to make a joke and seemed to have a good sense of humor. A question kept bugging Mara at the back of her mind: How did this man become Darth Vader?" Unable to take it any longer she spoke her mind.

"How did it happen?"

"How did what happen?" Anakin asked with a slight edge to his voice.

"What happened to this kind man sitting beside me, that turned him into the most feared man in the galaxy?"

Anakin sighed and didn't answer for a few minutes, "I'll wait till later to reveal everything, I'm sure the rest are going to have the same question. I fell due to my own arrogance and distrust of those around me."

Mara could tell there was more but she was satisfied with his answer for now. Looking over, the smiling happy person he had been only minutes before was gone and replaced by a very somber and sad looking man.

Mara reached over and grabbed his shoulder, "Hey, no need for the long face, lets talk about something else."

Anakin turned to look at her and asked her something he wished he hadn't, "What did you do once the Empire had fallen?"

Mara cursed softly to herself, "To start with I couldn't believe it was gone. Then I remembered something the Emperor had charged me with before his demise and I sought to carry that order out to completion."

Mara sighed, "He had ordered me to hunt down Luke Skywalker and kill him."

Anakin snorted, "Figures, he never trusted me after the Death Star blew up."

"Yeah, but the strange thing was the fire burning inside me to kill him was stronger than it should've been. As it turned out, upon the Emperors death he had imbued within me some of his will that he used for his soldiers to boost their morale during fights. My drive to kill Luke was more like the Emperors need to kill the man that had ended his reign."

"The Emperor had always been a persuasive man."

"So eventually I met Luke and tried to kill him but we had to work together and we grew to trust each other. After that I traveled around and then I came back to Luke. We found out we had feelings for one another and well here we are today."

"Well, I'm happy for the both of you. Nothing makes a father prouder than seeing his son happy. Besides in a way, I see you as like one of my children. The Emperor and I shaped you into the person you've become today, whether you know it or not." Anakin said with a small smile on his face.

"Well I guess I must thank you for dying then,"

Anakin chuckled, "I'd do anything to make my childrens lives better. You and my grand kids are included in that as well."

"Please don't die anytime soon this time though," Mara pleaded, realizing how much they may need him in the future.

Anakin gripped her hand, "I plan on being around for a while. Perhaps to the point of you guys all finding me annoying."

**Back on Corucant**

**Anakin**

The concern Mara had shown for him had shaken Anakin up. He didn't believe there was anyone left in the galaxy who still wished him well besides Luke. He didn't know what to expect from Leia but whatever would happen he could tell it wouldn't be pleasant. They had received word only minutes before that Leia would be here shortly. Anakin was surprised to find that his heart was racing in anticipation of her joining them.

Looking over to Obi-Wan, Anakin could tell he didn't know what to expect either. He knew the rocky relationship Anakin had with his family. Noticing Anakins eyes on him his Master sent him a reassuring grin that didn't fool Anakin. They had been friends too long, he could sense the uneasiness in him through their bond.

Looking behind him he watched as Jacen struggled against his bindings. The boy had rage in his eyes and it all seemed to be directed at Anakin. The boys accusations of following in his footsteps still circled around in his head. How could anyone wish to emulate his experience, it was literally a living hell. The worst part was that Leia had been right in hating him. Now because of him one of her children had followed his path. That stopped now, Anakin would make sure his grand son got better, by any means necessary.

The door to the chamber hissed open and Anakin nearly jumped out of his skin. He was relieved to find that it was only Luke and Mara along with Ben joining them. Seeing Luke happy with a wife and child brought a sad pang to his heart. If he hadn't been so stupid...

"Leia, will be here shortly, Jaina wanted to tell her what had happened." Luke said nodding to his father and old mentor.

Nodding back Anakin paced the room, his heart rate growing more by the second. It was almost funny enough to laugh at. The most feared man in the galaxy scared of his daughter who was far advanced in age than he was now. Still he had been on the end of a few of Padmes outburst and he didn't want to see one of Leias.

The door opened again and Anakin felt her presence enter the room. He heard her gasp and run towards her boy. The shock and fear rolling off her was so powerful Anakin wondered if she had ever been trained in the Jedi art. Turning around he saw his daughter covering her mouth as she spotted the wounds on her son. Looking to the door he noticed Han was there too, shock written on his face.

"What happened to him?" Leia choked out in tears.

"He captured him, Jacen was trying to kill Aunt Mara. Mom-" Jaina said, but her mother was no longer listening to anything her daughter said.

The look of utter loathing and hate that Leia fixed on her father would make any man cry. Anakin fought down the urge to shrink away and hide, he had avoided the people he'd known for this very reason. Anakin could feel the hate rolling off her, she thought he had went out of his way to hurt her son.

She charged him and Anakin did nothing to stop her raining down blows upon him. He took each hit and with each one felt the hate slowly leaving her. Finally after a real good shot to his jaw Leia stopped swinging and collapsed against his chest, tears streaking down her face. Anakin was surprised for a second but it quickly passed and he wrapped her in a hug. With a jolt he realized this was the first time he had ever hugged one of his children.

"I'm sorry Leia, I didn't do that to your son. He tried to kill Mara and somehow I ended up there in time to stop him. I wish it would've been someone else, anyone else."

Anakin could feel everyone's eyes on him and Leia. A few were left in the dark as to why Leia would attack a stranger that was much younger than herself or why said stranger would allow her to lash out at him like she did. Through his bond with Obi-Wan he could hear his master tell him it was time to tell them all.

Releasing his embrace on Leia and shifting her to right side he addressed the ones who didn't know who he was, "I know some of you are curious as to who I am. Well lets just say some of you wouldn't be in this room if I hadn't got the ball rolling."

Obi-Wan rubbed his face with his hand and Anakin could tell he wasn't amused with what he had said. Sighing Anakin decided it was time to be serious.

"Okay, bad answer. I am Anakin Skywalker, or as I'm sure most of you know, Darth Vader."

The looks in the crowd all varied, Han looked like he had already guessed it, but Jaina and Ben were completely taken aback. Anakin could tell this was going to be a long day.

**Please review and tell me what you thought. Thanks for reading!**


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